Marking 40th anniversary of diplomatic relationship, president hails friendship between the two nations

President Xi Jinping expressed his willingness to work with Bolivian President Luis Arce to elevate the China-Bolivia strategic partnership to new heights to bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Xi made the remarks on July 9 as the two leaders exchanged congratulations on the 40th anniversary of China-Bolivia diplomatic relations.

Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral ties, Xi said in his message that he would like to work with Arce to carry forward the two countries’ traditional friendship.

Calling China and the Latin American nation good friends and brothers, Xi said their bilateral relations have withstood the test of changing international circumstances and over the past 40 years have always maintained sound momentum for growth.

The two countries have firmly supported each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, he said.

The high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Bolivia has yielded fruitful results, and the friendship has taken deeper roots in the hearts of the two peoples, he added.

Xi said that he had a fruitful meeting with Arce in November last year on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which Xi said charted the course for the future development of China-Bolivia relations.

Arce noted that over the past 40 years, Bolivia and China have established a solid bilateral relationship based on mutual respect and friendly cooperation.

He commended China’s support for and assistance to Bolivia in areas such as infrastructure, technology, energy, and healthcare.

Arce also applauded China’s leading role in uniting the Global South, promoting cooperation between Latin America and China, and working toward a more just, equitable, and inclusive international order.

Bolivia is willing to continue deepening the brotherly friendship between the two peoples, he added.

China remains Bolivia’s second-largest trading partner and its largest source of imports, with bilateral trade reaching $2.73 billion in 2024, according to data from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Cooperation between the two countries covers a wide range of fields including infrastructure, minerals, and communications.

Contact the writer at zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn